Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Providing a game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits is one way to enhance player enjoyment and excitement.
Currently, gaming machines or devices provide games wherein a player has one or more opportunities to obtain a winning symbol combination on mechanical or video reels. The winning symbol combination may be along the same payline or on different paylines (known as a scatter pay). By providing gaming devices with more winning symbol combinations, players' have more opportunities to receive an award.
Additionally, known gaming devices include games having several award levels. Generally, the awards in these games increase as the award levels in the game increase. Therefore, as a player progresses in one of these games, the award levels and the associated awards increase in the game.
Gaming devices that increase the awards and provide large awards are desirable. Therefore, to increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new games and gaming devices which increase the award levels in a game to provide greater award values and larger awards to players in the game.